Projectile



C/CHILOWSKY.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24 1918.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

I mue/afar.-

C. CHILOWSKY.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 24. 1918.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PBOJECTILE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patenteq API'. 26, 1921.

Application led October 24,'1918. Serial No. 259,556.

To aZZwLom/t may concern.' l

Be it known that I, `oNsTANT1N CHILow- SKY, a citizen of Russia,residing at Parls, France, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Projectiles, of whlch the following is a specificationlThe Hight of projectiles is greatly inHuenced by the resistance of theair, andthe means hitherto adopted to increase the Hlght have been basedon a study of the shapes'of the projectiles, or have consisted inprovlding high initial velocity.

The applicant, for arriving at the same end, takes into considerationthe fact that the resistance to Hight depends as much upon theproperties of the air as on those of the projectile and increases therange by -dealing with the medium traversed, for example by changing itstemperature, its density and its composition.

The present invention has for its object a system of reducing theresistance to .the Hight of a projectile by heating the air throughwhich it passes. To apply the system appropriate means, of which severaldifferent forms will be hereinafter described, are arranged on the frontportion of the projectile, which means have for their object the heatingof the air by discharging into the atmosphere for a considerabledistance in front of the projectile, combustible, substances which aredischarged from a'receptacle specially provided for the purpose in theprojectile. These substances are such that they burn as fast as they-meet with the oxygen in the current of air created by the relativemovement of the projectile, the current becomes heated Vand with it aremixed -the residues of the combustion, or combustion is .effected in thesaid receptacle and residues only are discharged into the atmosphere at-very high temperature.

In theV second case the substances act on the air only through theircalorific capacity. In the first case, which is preferably adopted; thesubstances act both through their calorilic capacity as well as throughAtheir heat due to combination with oxygen which makes their calorificvalue greater for a given thermic mass, carried by the projectile.

The combustible should be brought to a state such that its combustioncan be produced in a current of air of high velocityand maintained in acontinuous and regular manner. If the combustible naturally haspyrophoric properties, it will suice to project it in a pulverized form.In any other case, it is necessary before projecting it into theatmosphere to bring it to an appropriate state, of liquid, vapor or gas'at a suitably high temperature, by the application of heat. Moreover,in order that the combustion may be suiicientlyuperfect the combustibleshould be mixed rapidly and intimately wlth the air current. This 1sattained b an atomizer or diffuser which emits the ombustible in theform of small jets or thin sheets, or which projects it in small drops.

Among combustible substances, those hav.- ing pyrophoric properties,such'as red phosphorus, or the solution of white phosphorus 1n carbonbisulHd orgaseous phosphoreted hydrogen, are suitable. The ways ofprojecting, heating and vaporizin the com# bustible substances varyaccor ing to the nature of the substance employed. Liquid combustiblescan be projected and atomlzed by the action of a gaseous pressure. Solidcombustibles can be brought to a gaseous, j

vaporous or liquid state by partial combust1on in the interior of thereceptacle, which can-be effected by the addition of a proper quantityof a suitable oxid, such as, for example, one of the metallic oxids, anitrate or sulfur. Thus, in a mixture of about 60 per cent. of'redphosphorus and 40 per cent. of oxid of copper, sufficient disen a ementis producedto vaporize the remain er of the phosphorus which accordinglyburns at the exit of the diffuser.

Thermal substances liberating vapoi's-v of incandescent metal may alsobe conveniently used. Thus bi-oxid of manganese reduced by powder ofmagnesium or aluminium liberates manganese vapors.

Mixtures of different metallic oxids (for example zinc or lead) withmagnesium or Valuminium powder produce on reduction iricandescentmetallic vapors and also vapors of magnesium and aluminium, if theselatter substances are in excess.

Incandescent metallic vapors have par* ticular advantages, owing totheir sponta.

neousness of combustion in-air. These thermal substances can also beutilized for vaporizing" other combustibles, solid or liquid, when theyare placed in contact withzthem, either directly or through theintermediary of metallic walls.

Again, substances of imperfect c0mbl`1s tion can be advantageouslyemployed as they contain in the heated products of combustion unburntcombustible matter, such as for example celluloid not containing toomuch camphor.

Finally, good results may be obtained by adding to one of these mixturesor sub-l stances pyrophoric combustibles, such as phosphorus. f Y

The accompanying drawings, which are given by way of example, relate toa mode of and to different forms of means for carrying out the inventionin practice, the particulars and the application of which will beexplained below. Details of construction, however, may be variedaccording to circumstances so as to suit. best the type of projectile,the nature of the combustible employed and manufacture.

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of the inventionwith a receptacle forming the nose piece.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment showing areceptacle mounted on the nose of the projectile.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment showing areceptacle mounted in the body of the projectile.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment showing areceptacle and burner mounted in the nose of the projec-l tile.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment showing a doublechambered receptacle.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment showing areceptacle having means for forcing the combustible through the burner.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional View of the preferred embodiment of theinvention showing a receptacle mounted on the nose of the shell and aburner.

Fig. 1 shows a shell provided in front with a receptacle mounted in theplace of the usual pointed nose piece. The explosive charge of the shellis contained in the member 2. A pyrotechnic device 4, with which may beassociated'if necessary the fuse 5 for detonating the charge 3, allowsof the ignition, through the orifice 6 of the combustible 7 on theprojectile leaving the mouth of the gun. This double fu'se may comprisefor example two firing pins, the

one concussive acting on a primer at the rear of the gun being fired,the other percussive acting, by momentum, on a'primer in front. Ignitionbeing thus obtained on leaving the gun the heated products are liberatedfrom the upper layer through the axial diffuser orifice 8 and burnaheadof the shell. The incandescent sheet 9 which forms is bent by the aircurrent around the shell which thus progresses through a medium ofdiminished resistance. A heat insulating piece 10 separates receptacle 1from the explosive 3 in order to prevent any risk of vpremature ignitionof this explosive.

Fig. 2 represents a modified arrangement of mounting the receptacle 1,in which the receptacle is arranged outside of the shell casing and insuch a manner that the outlet holes 11 cause an incandescent layer 9 tobe formed in front of the point 12 at the pointed end of the shell inorder that the heating of the air may be more perfect for the passage ofthe shell. In this case, the device for igniting the combustible in thereceptacle is situated in front at 4, while that which causes theexplosion of the charge is behind at 5.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the receptacle 1 is housed in thechamber containing the explosive 3 to which it is screwed in a mannersimilar to that of an ordinary fuse. It has an outside extensioncomprising a tubulure 13 which carries the ignition device.4 and anignition retarding appliance' 14 which may be constituted by a column ofpowder adapted to slowly light the combustible 7 at a certain distancefrom the gun. In the example, the combustible 7, which can be a solidsubstance such a-s red phosphorus, is vaporized by means of a thermalcore 15, such as aluminium powder with oxid of iron, which disengagesfrom the vapor incandescent phosphorus. The heat insulator 10 is placedlnside the receptacle 1. The discharge exit for the incandescent layer 9is constituted byan annular slot 16 communicating by means of ducts 18,which debouch into a chamber 17, with the duct 13.

In the modification in Fig. 4, the receptacle 1 contains a series ofcharges 7a, 7b, 7 c, 7d, each of a different nature, adapted to producevariations in the progress of the combustion. The exit is represented asbeing made through an axial twyer 8, having a ring of holes 1l. In Fig.5 an arrangement of the same kind, as in Fig. 4, is formed with tworeceptacles 1a and lb containing respectively the combustible charges7a. and 7". Between these two charges, a pyrotechnic device 19 isarranged in such a manner that the ignition of 7b is only effected at apredetermined time after the end of the combustion of the charge 7a. Theincandescent layer 9 may be thus produced only at the beginning and endof the flight of the projectile and may be suppressed during theintermediate period of the passage of the projectile in regions of highaltitude, where the air is of low density. Such arrangement gives riseto material economy in the use of combustible in long flightprojectiles. The heat insulator 10 is here shown outside the part 1*.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 6 is more particularly suited for the casewhere a pyrophoric liquid combustible is employed,

carbon bi-sulfid. The liquid placed in 21 would be ejected through theorifices 8 and ll of the diffuser, under the actiom of a gas pressureproduced in the primer 20. To this end, the concussion at the firing ofthe gun sets up in primer 20, either the liberation of compressed orliquified gas or a chemical reaction between the substances yielding asresidues high pressure gases. The liquid jets passing through holes 11are atomized into a sheet of drops by collision with the opposing solidwalls. In order to prevent leakage of the liquid before thev shell isbrought into use, a heavy stopper 22 is placed overv the duct feedingthe several orifices. Its inertia at the firing of the gun, willautomaticallyremove it and cause a passageway to be left.

In the case where the liquid combustible employed is not pyrophoric, itis of course necessary to bring it to a state of division and to atemperature sufficiently high to ig# nite it. A petrol burner withheated walls may be provided for preliminarily heating it. Lastly, theorifices may be projected in such a way that the flames cannot beextinguished.

The stopper for the orifices for the liquid can be constituted by ahighly combustiblebody or be self-destructive in any suitable manner atthe firing of the gun.

Fig. 7 relates to an application of th'e invention to a tracer shell.The shell represented is a tracing and incendiary one; it is filled witha combustible mixture of phosphorus and oXid of copper. The concussionfuse 4 is placed in the upper part at the base of the tube 22 which isconnected and terminates with the outlet orifices at an appropriatedistance in front of the shell nose. This provision of empty tubes atthe front part of the projectiles can also be applied to the otherarrangements described. It is convenient, in each particularapplication, to determine the best form to adopt to produce the maximumefficiency. The ejection of the combustible should occur generally at a4distance from the shell appropriately determined for heating the airsufiiciently in front of the projectile. The best distance variesaccording to the velocity of the projectile, its form, its caliber andalso on the combustible employed.

It will be advantageous, in certain cases to burn the combustible duringthe initialp art of the trajectory when the projectile h as greatvelocity and experiences great resistance on the part of the airtraversed.

It is quite evident, moreover, that the i burner being pointed.

above arrangements are not in any way limited, and the parts of thedevices-employed can, according to circumstances, be given anyproportions, without departing from the domain of the invention. Havingthus described the nature of the said invention and the best means Iknow of carryingthe same into practical effect, I claim l. A method ofreducing the resistance to the flight of a projectile, which consists inheating the air around the nose of the proj ectile during its flight.

2. A projectile having means for heating the air in advance thereof.

3. A projectile having means for heating the air in advance thereof,said heating means comprising a fuel resvoir and a burner in the frontof the projectile.

4. A projectile having means for heating the air in advance thereof,said heating means comprising 'a fuel reservoir and a burner in thefront of the projectile, said burner projecting from the front of theaxis of the projectile.

5. A projectile having means for heating the air in advance thereof,said heating means comprising a fuel reservoir and a burner in the frontof the projectile, said 6. A projectile having means for heating the airin advance thereof, said projectile having a hollow interior.

7. A projectile having means for heating .the air in advance thereof,said projectile 8. vA projectile having means for reducing theresistance to its flight by heating the air around the nose of theprojectile, comprising a receptacle for combustible conneeted'to the forigniting the combustible and means for front of the projectile, meansdirecting the burning gases of combustion around the nose of theprojectile.

9. A projectile according to claim 8, said igniting means comprising alpyrotechnic device having an orifice.

10. A projectile according to claim 8, said means for directing thegases comprising a chambered nose portion having a longitudinal bore. i

11. A projectile according to claim 8, said means for directing thegases comprising a' tubular extension having communicating transversebores near its outer end.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

